


Hargrove Family Values

by nervoussis



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Billy Hargrove Loves Halloween, But it literally doesn't matter in the plot of the story, Domestic Fluff, Halloween Costumes, Hot Chocolate, Kid Fic, LOVES Halloween, Like shove a jack-o-lantern up his ass, M/M, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Snow Day, Soft boys are soft, Steve Harrington thinks Halloween in Fine, Trick or Treating, You Have Been Warned, spend a soft 5 thousand on decorations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:01:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27230023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nervoussis/pseuds/nervoussis
Summary: Billy scribbled something on the edge of his blueprint--a phone number. He grinned. "My coffin guy.""We have a coffin guy now?""Of course we have a coffin guy, the kids are--""Going to need therapy, by the looks of it." Steve opened his book and nestled against Billy's side, shifting around until his husband slipped a solid arm around his shoulders. "Hope you're staying within budget because our kids are pussies."Billy snorted at that. "Oh ye of little faith! This is the year, pumpkin, I can feel it."Steve cut him a sideways glace. "Oh yeah, and what's that?"Billy clicked on a video of some guy demonstrating how to melt plastic eyeballs with a blow torch and winked. "Our children are going to shit their pants from excitement."(OR) Happy Halloween!
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 12
Kudos: 107





	Hargrove Family Values

**Author's Note:**

  * For [trashycatarcade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashycatarcade/gifts).



> For the lovely and talented Opal Draws! Thank you so much for asking me to do this for you. It's probably the softest, most idiotic thing I've ever written but I would do it again and again if you asked me to. 
> 
> It really got me in the Halloween spirit and I hope you enjoy the ride!

When the kids graduated pre-school Billy thought they were finally old enough to take Halloween like grown ups.

Gone were the days of smiling cardboard cut outs of ghosts and pumpkins, dead were the kiddie fright houses and the happy scarecrows--Billy felt like he could finally celebrate his favorite holiday in the way it was _meant_ to be enjoyed; cowering in fear.

And the second Nell and Sanne were old enough to understand the plot of _Hocus Pocus_ enough to not be frightened to tears, Billy started planning.

Plotting, might be more accurate, which was very on brand for him.

Each year the Hargrove's set aside a stipend for Halloween. While most families planned extravagant vacations with their Christmas bonuses and tax returns, Billy and Steve negotiated how much one could reasonably spend on fake spiderwebs (Billy said $1,000, Steve $25, give or take) and it was a tradition that they decorate together..

In college it was something the two of them did over marihuana and porn but since the birth of their girls it was something they did with cookies and apple cider. Their house on May Street was massive, nicknamed _the Haunted Mansion_ by the local kids and every year it was a crowd favorite.

Billy and Steve saw over fourteen _thousand_ trick-or-treaters when the weather was nice, and, not to brag, but Robin Buckley wished she could pull those kind of numbers at her house in Chicago.

It was perfect. Halloween wasn't Steve's favorite holiday by a long shot but it was worth it to see Billy thrive.

And the kids loved it, too, for what it was.

Loved the smiling Bat stickers in the kitchen window, loved carving pumpkins when their daddies were home on weekends, and Billy kept a storage unit across town in preparation for the month of October. That's where their decorations lived in the off season, hidden until September 30th where their theme for the year was unveiled to the neighborhood.

Steve loved it, but.

It got to be a little excessive, at times.

Billy prepped for bed every night by burying his head in catalogues and websites. Laptop open on his stomach, ordering like a madman but always staying within budget when Steve was reading under the covers next to him.

Pinterest stayed open on Billy's phone from November first onward-- _only 364 days until next Halloween_ \--and this time round that had taken a shot of steroid, it seemed.

Steve was standing next to their bed, tooth brush in his mouth, when he saw the sketches for this year's setup.

It was scary.

 _Too_ fucking scary, immediately his arms were covered in gooseflesh and Steve could see it now; the girls sleeping in their room for the next twenty years when they saw what Billy had in store for their first "grownup," Halloween.

Steve was quick on his feet.

"You know, I was thinking we could spend Halloween this year with Joyce and Hop," He said carefully, around a glob of toothpaste. "They haven't seen the girls in a while. And Hawkins always has the fall parade, we could--"

"Absolutely not, Steve." Billy removed his reading glasses, face lined with disapproval.

With _annoyance._

"How could you even ask that? The kids are finally old enough to enjoy the _scary_ part of the season and you wanna rob them of their chilling adventures?" Billy turned back to his phone, scrolling through yet another forum about using dry ice to maximize _'graveyard fog potential.'_ "I don't think so. Besides, Hop doesn't even decorate the cabin--"

Steve immediately back tracked. "Or they could come here. We could work them into the costume, right? 'S not to late."

"It's _the Addams Family_ and we don't have a Lurch or a Grandma." Billy said. All, _you do the math,_ reading glasses perched on his face once again.

Steve rinsed his toothbrush and went for it. 

The sheets were chilly when he slid between them. "Isn't that a kids movie?" He asked, and.

Billy was onto him like flies on shit. "I'm not getting rid of the graveyard."

"Bills--"

"Or the dead bodies." He said loudly. "No fuckin' way, that's like. An _iconic_ image."

Steve snorted. "A cemetery full of unearthed coffins is an iconic image?" He pointed an accusatory finger at the drawing on Billy's lap. "That corpse has festering skin--"

"Uncle Fester." Billy stated flatly. As if that _explained_ the need for graphic depictions of death and decay. 

Steve tried a different angle, more gently this time. "You're really talented, baby."

Billy saw through that, too.

Inquisitive little shit.

"Flattery will get you everywhere--" Billy leaned in for a kiss. Long and slow and sweet, until he pulled away with a smirk. "Except back down kiddie Halloween street."

Steve sighed. "The HOA will never allow this."

And he felt like such a dweeb because that was a bold faced lie. As if their house didn't singlehandedly bring revenue to the area during the month of October, what with all the families that drove by to look at the lights. Hell, Pepper would probably pay Billy out of her own _pocket_ for a similar vibe down the street at her house, and sure enough:

"Fuck the HOA." Billy scribbled something on the edge of his blueprint--a phone number. He grinned. "My coffin guy."

"We have a coffin guy now?"

"Of course we have a coffin guy, the kids are--"

"Going to need therapy, by the looks of it." Steve opened his book and nestled against Billy's side, shifting around until his husband slipped a solid arm around his shoulders. "Hope you're staying within budget because our kids are pussies."

Billy snorted at that. "Oh ye of little faith! This is the year, pumpkin, I can feel it."

Steve cut him a sideways glace. "Oh yeah, and what's that?"

Billy clicked on a video of some guy demonstrating how to melt plastic eyeballs with a blow torch and winked. "Our children are going to shit their pants from excitement."

\--

And Billy was right.

Nell and Sanne fought for _days_ over who got to be Wednesday Addams. Kicked each other under the breakfast table, screamed and cried and threw tiny fists at school during recess until Steve had finally had enough.

They were elbow deep in Formica tombstones, Billy perched on a ladder hanging incredibly _period accurate_ ghosts from a tree when Sanne pushed Nell down the back steps. The smaller of the two started wailing instantly, knee scabbed to shit when she ran into the corner of the headstone Steve was nailing into the ground.

"Alright, that's enough!" He hollered when Nell had rallied enough courage to punch her sister in the arm. Hard.

Steve put his hands on his hips. "Nell, you're Pugsley."

She immediately geared up to protest. "But--"

"No buts," Billy said from his perch atop the latter. "You heard daddy. If it was up to me both of you'd be Cousin It."

Nell frowned. "You're no fun--"

"Hey," Steve snapped. He sounded tired. Looked tired, too, as he returned his focus to the task at hand. "Dad worked very hard to make this the _most_ fun Halloween and if you guys keep at it there won't be any fun at all on Saturday, got it?"

"Pulling Nell's hair was fun," Sanne handed him a spike, grinning like the little hell demon she was. Like it was worth it, just to see her sister weep.

Billy grinned right back.

Steve knew where she got it from. "We don't hit." He said.

"Sure we do," Billy lamented. The sound of his staple gun was incessantly loud in the chilly autumn air. "Sanne's just getting into character, isn't that right?"

"Wednesday tries to kill Pugsly in the movie," Sanne reasoned, as if that was good enough.

Not even close. "You lay a hand on your sister and I'm cancelling the whole Holiday."

Billy and Sanne geared up for a rousing chorus of _But that's not fair's_ and endless _God, you're hot when you take charge._ Steve ordered them to get back to work with a frown, pointedly ignoring the way Sanne was conspiring with her father as she helped him hang the ghosts.

The eldest of their two children was just like Billy in every way.

Curly blonde hair, bright blue eyes. Cherub face that hid a perpetually grumpy disposition. She could get away with practically anything just by batting those eyelashes--charisma and charm flowed from the six year old in a way that rivaled Billy's own brand of schmooze.

Steve was powerless to their voodoo.

It was infuriating how easy she got off the hook, even now as Steve shushed Nell and inspected the tombstone with a casual shrug.

"Least it's standing," He concluded. She held on tightly to Steve's hand, wiping tears on the back of his wrist.

"Come on, Nell Bell. No more tears." Steve gently pried his hand loose. She latched on again instantly.

"Did you really mean it, daddy?"

"Did I mean what, sugar?" Nell helped him carry the final tombstone to its place on the lawn. Held it steady while Steve made quick work of tacking it into the dirt.

"You're not _really_ gonna cancel Halloween, are you?" She stared up at him with big, nervous green eyes. Lip trembling, brow knitted together--

Nell was pouting. 

And she was a goddamn _pro,_ Steve felt his heart give a painful shudder as he fought to maintain an air of sternness. "Yup. Keep up your bickering and I'll take down all the decorations, too."

Nell crossed her arms. "What about whining?" 

"And pouting?" Sanne chirped.

Billy grinned. "They're working you hard this year, lover."

And they were. They _always_ did--Steve was a pushover. It wasn't news, though he was trying to get better at being a strong, guiding hand. Hopper had offered to give him lessons in _Bitching out Children 101_ when they announced they were expecting their first pup.

Steve politely declined, believing firmly that his style of parenting involved less time lecturing and more passing out cookies. He had believed then, while trying to get his hands on every parenting book he could find, that staring into a pair of puppy dog eyes and standing his ground would be easy.

Simple, even; he'd never raise his voice or use punishment to reprimand bad behavior. 

That had been a laugh, Steve was expecting to reap the benefits of _that_ decision any day now.

"I'll do it." He threatened. "Don't think I won't."

Nell and Sanne stared at each other for a tense, awkward moment. The older of the two using the inch of height difference to her advantage as she puffed out her chest.

"Mother Dearest has spoken."

"Hey--" Steve deadpanned. He resented that. 

They ignored him. Sanne spit in the palm of her hand, extending the offering to her sister. Nell wrinkled her nose in disgust. Puffed her chest out, too, as if to establish her dominance.

And Steve was an only child. 

He didn't understand what was happening, not fully, as they sized each other up. He had seen it a few times before--the act was common among siblings. Especially those of the Hargrove-Mayfield variety.

"Truce?" Sanne purred, voice honey-rough with poorly concealed venom. Nell considered this. Wrinkled her nose at the spit-slick hand, and--

Spit delicately in her own palm. "Truce," she concluded.

Billy had been right after all, and he knew it too, if his shit-eating grin was anything to go by. Their kids were old enough now to put aside petty bickering in exchange for free candy.

They were growing up.

The feeling sat crooked in Steve's belly.

\--

As it turned out, he didn't have to be the Grinch that Stole Halloween.

"It's supposed to _snow_ on Saturday?" Billy was in a panic. "How does that even. What the _fuck."_

They were at the pumpkin patch picking up last minute supplies. Somewhere up ahead the girls were playing hide and seek, tagging one another and running between the rows of corn and squash. It was pretty goddamn adorable; one would go hide while the other stood in wait _\--no peeking--_ and then as she went to look for her sister the hider would jump out in a scare.

They had been in a fit of giggles all afternoon.

Steve waved Nell into a particularly good hiding place under an abandoned tractor and watched in glee as Sanne searched for her sister high and low.

Billy was damn near hyperventilating. "I can't believe this. What if Joyce and Hopper's flight is delayed? Fuck, what if their flight is _cancelled--"_

"Baby, relax." Steve sat in Billy's lap. He kissed his lover's temple softly, until the frown lines disappeared. "So we'll stay in. 'S not that big a deal."

"Not a _big deal."_ Billy jostled Steve as he rose. As he paced back and forth. "The girls will only be little for, like, _two more seconds,_ Steve. We can't waste a single second, pretty soon they'll be too big for all this stuff and they won't want to be seen in public with us anymore."

And you could say Billy was a teensy-bit dramatic when it came to Halloween.

"Speak for yourself." Steve lit a cigarette, grinning around the butt of the thing as he fished for a lighter. "I'm not a regular dad, I'm a cool dad."

Just then Sanne was passing by on her quest for her sister. She snorted. "Dad's way cooler than you."

Steve immediately took offence. "Is not--"

"Is _too,"_ Sanne plopped down on the bench next to him, out of breath from sprinting all afternoon. "You make us eat all our broccoli. And you make us floss before bed. _And_ we can't watch T.V. past nine o'clock--"

Billy snagged the cigarette from Steve's mouth. "You're six years old, that's, like. _More_ than generous."

Sanne snorted again.

She may have only been six but she behaved like a forty-five year old woman. Sanne had just opened her mouth to argue when Nell's voice came filtering through the pumpkin patch.

"Catch me if you can, slow poke!"

Sanne hopped to her feet. "That was a terrible calculation, I've narrowed down where you are based on the volume of your voice, idiot!"

And then she was gone.

When Steve looked up again Billy was smiling. Not a huge grin, but it a smile all the same. Steve held out his hands until Billy settled into his lap, arms wound around Steve's shoulders as they watched their girls play hide and seek. 

"They're growing up too fast, baby." Billy's voice was wobbly, like a baby deer learning to walk. "Too fuckin' fast, I feel like I blinked once and now they're two little old ladies."

Steve chuckled. Kissed Billy's cheek in a way he hoped was reassuring. 

"We still have time, angel. So much time." Steve tucked a strand of hair behind Billy's ear, nearly falling to pieces when he held Steve's hand against his face with a shuddery breath. "Halloween's one of those Holiday's you never really outgrow. Just replace scares with gore and candy with booze. Someday they'll be teenagers and they'll really be into the gore, holy shit. Have you met Sanne? We could do _House of 1,000 Corpses_ like you always wanted."

"You're a goddamn tease, Harrington." Billy chuckled softly and then pulled back to stare at him with big, teary eyes. "I just want their first real Halloween to be--"

"Special. Baby, I keep tellin' you; you could stick to smiling ghosts and it would be perfect."

"How do you know?" Billy made a face, his lips set in an unsteady line. Steve smoothed it away with his mouth until Billy was soft and pliant in his hands.

"Not to be a cornball, but you make everyday perfect, Billy Hargrove."

Because it was true.

Billy let out a wet, thick sounding laugh and poked Steve's nose. "That was disgusting."

He yelped when Steve pinched his thigh. "Last time I try and be sweet, holy shit--"

"I'm joking, Stevie--"

Steve pinched him again. "You're a goddamn _brat."_ From somewhere up ahead the girls were playing tag, sprinting among the rows of pumpkins like they were running on an unlimited power supply. Like they were powered by the fucking _sun._

Billy sighed contentedly, leaning his head against Steve's. "What do you say we get some hot cocoa into the brats and then head home?"

Steve thought it through. "Apple cider or it's no deal."

Now it was Billy's turn to think it through. He scrunched his nose up. "Hot cocoa and apple cider donuts?"

Steve smirked, leaning in to whisper in Billy's ear. "And a blowie when the kids get to sleep. Final offer."

Billy sighed. "God, you're demanding, anyone ever tell you that?" Steve peppered gentle kisses along his lover's face, sighing as Billy giggled. "It's a good think you're cute, Harrington."

And then they were kissing. Long and slow and sweet, Billy's hands running gently over Steve's jaw until--

"Get a room!" Nell said, suddenly too loud and too close.

Billy pulled away with a chuckle. Sanne shook her head. "Daddies shouldn't kiss this much, it's kind of gross."

 _"Super_ gross." Her sister agreed.

They were still keyed up from a day of fun. Billy finally stood, leading the way toward the exit. "You guys are gross," He lamented.

And Steve felt like he was stuffed with warm mittens.

\--

By the time five o'clock rolled around on the morning of October 31st, there was a blanket of snow on the ground.

Not a pillow.

Not a sheet.

But six _glorious_ inches of the good stuff. Steve spent all morning making sure Billy didn't have an inch of room to feel sorry for himself. Though the weather had Steve feeling like Christmas, he took to the internet for some spooky snow day activities to pass the time.

Billy was a wreck. "Can't we just have a pajama party instead? Watch spooky films and braid each other's hair or something?"

And Steve couldn't believe what he was hearing.

He opened Pinterest with a sigh. "Do you really love Halloween?"

Billy sat up, trademark glare in full swing. "Watch your fuckin' mouth."

"Hey, I'm just sayin.'" Steve shrugged, sliding up the mattress until he was straddling Billy's thighs. "Any true believer wouldn't let a little snow stand in the way of the festivities."

Billy scowled. 

He was so fucking cute. "What would we even _do._ It's supposed to keep snowing." Billy snarled at the weather lady like it was her fault. 

Like she had personally called in Jack Frost and told him to set up shop.

Steve shrugged and began listing things on his fingers. "Snow skeletons, Halloween cookies, costume party fashion show--"

Billy tickled him. "Fucking _fine,_ Jesus." 

And if their relationship were a few years younger Steve might have felt insecure by the timbre of Billy's voice but he knew better. Knew it by the gentle smile on his face, the pleasant blush to his cheeks, the fury of hope and excitement raging in his eyes.

His energy was infectious. Steve kissed him quickly. "Alright, let's hop to it."

Billy allowed himself to be tugged down the stairs to the family room. He lit a fire, bitching the entire time about it Jack Skellington robbing them of their Christmas presents.

Steve had never loved anyone more.

\--

They explored every activity they could get their hands on.

From building jack-o-lanterns outside in the snow to making bat shaped Halloween cookies (complete with googly eyes and gummy worms) by the time they got into costume it felt like Halloween. Billy and Steve took turns sneaking in and out of guest rooms to open the door when the girls knocked.

They pretended to be Pepper, the HOA president.

And Mrs. Delores who lived down the street.

And Hannah Bailess, who sometimes taught swimming lessons during the summertime. They each had two full bags of candy as they saddled up for their annual family picture. Steve had spent an _hour_ in front of the mirror perfecting his Mortica Addams makeup, and wasn't about to let anything ruin the fun.

He set up the camera. Adjusted the lighting. Fussed over Sanne and Nell to make sure their costumes were absolutely perfect while they negotiated trades for the candy they didn't like. Billy was scowling out the window as Steve waddled around in his skin tight black dress. 

"Hey, Hargrove." Steve barked. The wig hair kept getting caught in his mouth. "Get over here, it's time to be immortalized on film."

Billy obeyed immediately. He took his spot on the stairs, dopey eyes hungry on Steve's cinched waistline as he whistled low.

"Querida, you look. Ravishing."

Steve smirked at his cheesy accent but batted his lashes anyway. "Oh Gomez." He felt ridiculous It was worth it to see the flush on Billy's cheeks.

Steve set the timer and got into place.

"Alright, gang. Ready?"

Sanne and Nell were still fighting over the candy when the flash went off. 

"This was the best Halloween ever, Daddy!" 

"Yeah, can we do it again next year?"

Billy was stunned. He blinked, arm snaking around Steve's shoulders as the flash went off a second time. "You, uh. You want to?"

Nell nodded vigorously. "It was like Christmas and Halloween in one big bowl of soup."

Sanne grinned. "I could do it again."

And.

Billy was blinking away tears. Steve leaned in for a kiss, bathed in a third flash of white light.

When they finally pulled away Billy was his old self, again.

He turned to face the camera. "Everybody say; Addams!"

"ADDAMS!"

**Author's Note:**

> This was so dumb, I love you all so much.


End file.
